Something's Missing

Normally it’s a time of high excitement mixed with some nervyness and often if things aren’t quite running to schedule, a fair bit of panic. There were only small degrees of these feelings this season, with everyone acting pretty calm and chilled.

All the other members of the hut were feeling the same way. Conversations were limited and everyone was extremely reserved, especially the younger members of the crew who tend to make a fair bit of noise and are normally told at least once that the older folks would like some quiet time. Things were so quiet and reserved that most of us drifted off to bed well before we normally would, some to dream of paddles-down Mallards in the morning and some to ponder what was making things feel so strange and wonder what was missing.

Firstly as we all know, due to Covid-19, opening day was far from a normal day as it was three weeks later than usual. Also due to Covid-19, my brother and hunting partner Stacy wasn’t with us. He was still in Australia, as was my little bro Brodie who had decided he would come over and hunt with the old man this year and now couldn’t be here. My cousin Warren and his son James